Brits imitating a American Accent for entertainment

I was at a musical last night and a couple of the actors were dressed in bush clothes (helmet etc) and tried to talk with the put on posh English accents. I'm sure we've heard these on several occasions. So I was thinking have you ever heard on a regular basis Brits in entertainment imitating an American accent? I can't think of any.

If it isn't the retired colonel who served in 'Ijur' it is the 'what's up guv'. Some Brits have taken offenses at this, so again is there a comparison?

Hugh Laurie does a good American accent in the TV show "House".

We saw "Chicago" in the West End last night, and a couple of the English cast members were having trouble with their American accents.  They'd switch from southern to New York from time to time, occasionally within the same sentence.  

Weirdly, they all seemed to have trouble with the word "dollars".  They were really over pronouncing the "r" sound at the end.

Still a good show, though.

On adverts here made in the UK, if it's an American accent it's usually faked and horrible.  Radio 4 plays/readings sometimes have Americans doing American accents, but often times it's not.  Sometimes it's pretty bad and just really focuses the rhotic "r"s and maybe throws in a bit of a "yee hah" aspect.  

Then again, when I hear the hard as diamond "r"s of some native American speakers now, it makes my ears feel like they are bleeding.  I think I know what the General American accent sounds like to Brits now, and it's not nice.  It's definitely not like hearing RP as an American.

A British friend of mine has always said that she finds the American accent to be a neutral accent because "British people hear it so often." Not just on the streets but movies, media, etc. My friends if they ever mimic an American accent, they always sound Southern and have a hard time distinguishing between General and Southern. Or they sound like pirates trying to say the Rrrr 

As far as acting goes, it's all about training and if there was anyone nearby to correct them. During my theatre years, we didn't have a Brit laying around so the actors probably butchered the accents, but all was well. The audience, which was probably all American, didn't seem to notice any mistakes with the accent. Then again, accents are very flexible, who's to say what's right and wrong?

With Hugh Laurie, I didn't learn that he was British until after season 2 of House! When I heard his British accent, I was thinking, 'WOW!' He does the American accent so well

I'm pretty sure that Stephen Moyer on True Blood is a Brit. And he does the Southern accent really well, I think. I've seen adverts that were originally from the States that have been dubbed over by British voices, which I thought was interesting. But, so far, I personally haven't noticed any Brits imitating an American accent. But, that's probably just me.

With Hugh Laurie, I didn't learn that he was British until after season 2 of House! When I heard his British accent, I was thinking, 'WOW!' He does the American accent so well

Same here!    I've also been watching The Wire the last couple of weeks and was surprised to find out that two of the main characters are actually British (Dominic West and Idris Elba).  Their American accents are perfect.

I'm pretty sure that Stephen Moyer on True Blood is a Brit. And he does the Southern accent really well, I think. I've seen adverts that were originally from the States that have been dubbed over by British voices, which I thought was interesting. But, so far, I personally haven't noticed any Brits imitating an American accent. But, that's probably just me.

He is a Brit, and Ryan Kwanten, who plays Jason, is from Australia, and I think he does the best Southern accent I've ever heard, it's priceless.  My husband loves to imitate the voice overs for American movie trailers, if that counts... "In a world where one man..." I nearly die laughing every time, he does it really well, yet he can only seem to do an American accent if it's in that voice. 

There are several examples of British actors in the US doing American accents.  They tend to do them better, IMO, because contrary to what some posters have said, I think a "typical yeehaw" accent done by Brits pretending to be Americans here(think George W's accent rather than the non-rhotic drawl of some areas of the south) wouldn't be something that film and telly directors would let happen.  I also think that Stateside it would be noticed more and commented upon by at least some of the audiences.  I think that people would ask, "Why does that person sound like a bad imitation of John Wayne/George W/Annie Oakley?"

The husband from Medium (Jake Weber) is British. His accent comes through sometimes with pronunciations.  He sounds a bit Canadian at times.  He doesn't have "Canadian raising" or anything, but he might say the odd word with the British pronunciation. Gary Oldman does a fairly decent (IMO) American accent when playing American roles.  Kate Winslet as well.  There are plenty of good examples of Brits using American accents rather well for roles.  Personally, I think Hugh Laurie's is okay, but he sounds a bit sing-song and kiddish.  A lot of people on American telly do though, and I've begun to wonder if it's a method or a particular coach who has people speak like that to iron out regional accents, both American and from other speakers.

Kim Cattrall (Sam from Sex and the City is From Liverpool.  She lived in Canada a lot.  Another "British" actor with a natural accent that's North American is John Barrowman (Captain Jack from Torchwood).  He's Scottish, but moved to the States when he was young.  They both speak day to day with North American accents. On the (sort of) flip side, Mel Gibson is really American.  Yeah, Australian isn't British, but it's always weird when people get shocked to learn that he's not Australian.

When I listen to my old NPR station (listen to the news one for maximum impact) and the "r"s hurt my ears (to be fair, the Buffalo accent is definitely a subset of Inland North).  Some of the people who do American accents on BBC radio have this naturally, but to me, growing up where I did, it doesn't sound like what an American accent sounds like.

To give a good example of an American doing an excellent (IMO) British accent, I think Renee Zellweger did a good job in the "Bridget Jones" films.  The only people I've heard criticise it didn't like the idea of an American playing Bridget Jones to begin with.

Idris Elba is from East London and played 'Stringer Bell' on The Wire. He did an amazing job and I never would have guessed he was British in a million years. It shocked me the first time I heard him speak with his natural accent.

Other actors in The Wire who were British (or Irish) was Dominic West (Jimmy McNulty) and Aiden Gillen (Mayor Carcetti).

I think Renee Zellweger did a good job in the "Bridget Jones" films.  The only people I've heard criticise it didn't like the idea of an American playing Bridget Jones to begin with.

I didn't find her accent convincing at all!

I didn't find her accent convincing at all!

Did you think a Brit should play Bridget Jones?

There are several examples of British actors in the US doing American accents.  They tend to do them better, IMO, because contrary to what some posters have said, I think a "typical yeehaw" accent done by Brits pretending to be Americans here(think George W's accent rather than the non-rhotic drawl of some areas of the south) wouldn't be something that film and telly directors would let happen.  I also think that Stateside it would be noticed more and commented upon by at least some of the audiences.  I think that people would ask, "Why does that person sound like a bad imitation of John Wayne/George W/Annie Oakley?"

I think you're right, and further, British actors living in the US are surrounded by American accents, which no doubt makes it easier to learn to imitate them.  In 3 years in the UK my British accent has gotten much better just from hearing not only the sounds but the cadences and the phrases British people use when they're speaking.  I'm not certain I could fool a British person for more than a couple of minutes, but I could easily fool an American into thinking I was British.

Did you think a Brit should play Bridget Jones?

Not necessarily. I just don't think she really nailed the accent at all. 

Well, a Brit played Scarlett O'Hara and that was quite the issue then. 

Jamie Bamber from BSG is British and I thought his accent was quite good.  Also, he's hot.  That is all.   

Jamie Bamber from BSG is British and I thought his accent was quite good.  Also, he's hot.  That is all.   

I had to google him because I didn't know who he was. Well, hello to you and your abs!